'I am bored to death with this routine' complained my friend, a colleague, over a cup of afternoon tea. Normally, I would have agreed, or at least sympathized with her. But this time her comment reminded me of an article - about the plight of Christians in Iraq - that I read in the latest issue of the GEO magazine. Living in a country torn apart by war must not be easy. I am aware that this is an understatement. Many people of my generation can only recollect the Kargil war and that didn't throw the life of most of the civilians out of kilter by any means. However, what most of the Indians will be able to identify with is the misery that a communal strife brings to everyday life. When this strife breaks out in a country ravaged by war, the misery gets intensified manifold.

That's what those people are going through. Every day of their life.

They are living in the shadow of death.

And we, who are blessed to have a "normal" routine life, are "bored to death" by it.